Page 32 - issue 23

32 Technically Speking

Social Licence To

Operate A Mine In

Botswana

r. Bonny Ignatius Matshediso Social Responsibility(CSR) is to link the
–Director of Morupule Coal activities of a business to economic,
DMine tackled a very important social and environmental sustainability.
topic during his presentation at Mining
Investment Botswana. He spoke on He described SLO as an unwritten
the social licences in Botswana Mining contract between companies and
sector.He started off by acknowledging society for the companies to
that Mining continues to be the acquire the acceptance
engine of growth in the economy of or approval of their
Botswana. Until the global recession of business operations;
2008, Botswana maintained one of the a measure of
world’s highest economic growth rates confidence and
since independence in 1966. Diamond trust society has
mining fueled much of the economic in business to
growth and currently accounts for behave in a
about 20% of GDP, approximately 80% l egi ti ma t e,
of export earnings and about 30% of transparent,
government’s revenue. accountable
and socially
In his presentation he reviewed acceptable
Botswana governments’ socio economic w a y
role in promoting sustainability in (Muller,
mining. Dr Matshediso explained the T o d d ;
need for government to provide policies Gar e y ,
and guidelines that will assist mines to Andrew,
make a meaningful contribution towards 2012). It Dr. Bonny Ignatius Matshediso
the development of communities they was originally introduced and used by the Director of Morupule Coal Mine
operate in as per the principles of a mining and petroleum sectors and in later
responsible social license consistent years adopted by other various sector,
with best practice The key for Corporate infused into the Social Corporate Social

Issue 23 - Aug/Sept 2019 www.engineermagazine.co.bw